Don’t think your business needs to prepare for a hurricane? Think again.

March 22--BRADENTON -- Business is the last point of concern in the federal government's response to disaster, says John Zakian, the disaster resilience grant program manager for the city of Minot, North Dakota, which dealt with record flooding in 2011.

First it's shelter, then housing. Third on the hierarchy is infrastructure. Fourth is business.

Zakian and the University of Iowa's Mark Reinig were in Manatee County this week as part of the International Economic Development Council's Disaster Volunteer Week, set up to give advice on response by the county and local businesses to Hurricane Irma.

The county asked for this input because "it's more than just having insurance," said Bruce Kapacinskas, business resource manager within the county's neighborhood services department.

"If we don't have businesses standing people back up and getting people employed ... we're going to be dead fruit on the vine," he said.

While Zakian and Reinig plan to put together a report summarizing their impressions, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Manatee County Emergency Operations Center, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and Florida Power & Light were some of the groups represented to sit down for a review Thursday.

Being complacent isn't just an issue for residents, but for business owners, too.

"One of the challenges going forward ... (is) not to get misled into a comfort level because Irma did its infamous wiggle and missed you guys," said Zakian, who noted that he's also known as the "biblical plague expert," though he hasn't responded to locusts.

The key suggestions were that business owners should share emergency contact information with their employees and respective chambers and come up with a disaster recovery plan, even if they don't think they'll need it.

Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance executive director Heather Kastern said streamlining this information for business owners is important.

"A storm for them on a list of to-do's is down on 1,000," she said. "They do not take it seriously because the threat is not imminent in their face in the moment."

Business owners looking for assistance after a natural disaster may deal with the physical effects such as broken windows or damaged roof through a loan from the Small Business Administration. But what about when they can't reach their business because the roads are still closed or employees can't come back to work? Sharing the most current information of the indirect impact of a disaster to financing agencies is just as important as the physical impacts, because much of the time it isn't counted, Zakian said.

"Don't ever sell yourselves short to drive the data you need to push up to state and federal agencies to make them aware of the need here," he said.

"They're going to be looking at who's crying the loudest," Reinig added.

Even so, relying on FEMA or the Small Business Administration may not be the best approach, the pair added. Branching out for other sources of financial relief, like through the U.S. Department of Agriculture for farms or the Community Development Financial Institutions program, may better benefit businesses.

"You're never going to get the money you need to fully recover," Zakian said.

Business professionals will have the chance to learn more about preparing and responding to a natural disaster at the third annual Business Recovery Expo entitled, "We survived Hurricane Irma in 2017 -- Are you ready in 2018?", hosted by Manatee County Economic Development on April 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto.

Representatives with the National Weather Service, Florida Power & Light, Manatee County Emergency Management and BB&T Insurance Services will speak at the event.

"The goal of the Business Recovery Expo is to engage local businesses and to bring attention to the process of having a plan and being prepared," Karen Stewart, county economic development manager, said in a press release. "Disasters come in all forms, shapes and sizes -- not just bad weather, preparation is key."

Hannah Morse: 941-745-7055, @mannahhorse

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